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Types of Biological Associations Explained

This document discusses different types of biological associations between organisms: 1) Symbiosis includes mutualism, where both organisms benefit (e.g. algae and fungi in lichen), and commensalism, where one benefits and the other is not affected. 2) Parasitism involves one organism (the parasite) benefiting at the expense of the host, sometimes causing harm or death. 3) Competition occurs when organisms of the same or different species compete for limited resources like food or space. One organism is eventually eliminated. 4) Predation is when one organism (the predator) kills and feeds directly on another (the prey), benefiting itself while eliminating the prey.

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68 views2 pages

Types of Biological Associations Explained

This document discusses different types of biological associations between organisms: 1) Symbiosis includes mutualism, where both organisms benefit (e.g. algae and fungi in lichen), and commensalism, where one benefits and the other is not affected. 2) Parasitism involves one organism (the parasite) benefiting at the expense of the host, sometimes causing harm or death. 3) Competition occurs when organisms of the same or different species compete for limited resources like food or space. One organism is eventually eliminated. 4) Predation is when one organism (the predator) kills and feeds directly on another (the prey), benefiting itself while eliminating the prey.

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Ecological Management

Biological association
In a community, there exist different kinds of
biological associations between organisms of
different species. Some of these biological
associations are beneficial, some are neutral while
others are harmful.
Types of associations
Symbiosis:
This is a close association between two organisms
in which one or both of them benefit from each
other. Symbiosis is a beneficial association and
each member is called a symbiont. This association can be further divided into
1. Mutualism
2. Commensalism.
Mutualism
Mutualism is the association between two
organisms in which both of them benefit from each other.
Examples of mutualism include:
• Algae and fungi in lichen;
• Protozoa in the intestine of termites;
• Nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the root nodules of
leguminous plants;
• Bacteria in the rumen of ruminants.

Commensalism
Commensalism is a relationship between two
organisms of different species, in which one
(commensal) benefits while the other (host) neither gains nor loses.

Examples of Commensalism
• Remora fish and the shark,
oyster and crab,
• man and intestinal bacteria. These bacteria
live in the human large intestine. They feed on
the food in the gut and do not harm the host.

Parasitism
Parasitism is a close association between two
organisms in which one, known as the parasite, live in or on the body of another; the host,
deriving
benefits from and causing harm to it while the host
loses in the process. The parasite benefits from the association while the host usually suffers
harm or may die. The benefits the parasite derives from a host may include food, oxygen, living
space and
support. The host is usually much bigger than the
parasite. Parasitism does not usually lead to the
death of the host. It can, however, lead to a number of harms such as the reduction in growth.
Examples of parasitism
• Man and the tapeworm:
Mistletoe and flowering plant:

Competition
The competition involves the interactions among
two organisms of the same or different species in
which one outgrows the other and survives.
Competition is often based on limited environmental resources which can be in short supply
such as food, water, nutrients, gases, light and space. During the competition, one organism
controls one or more of these resources which enable it to grow and survive while the other
neither grow nor survive to lead to its elimination.
When the competition is between members of the
same species, it is called intraspecific competition
while it is called interspecific competition if it is
between members of different species.
Examples of Competitive Associations
(a) Flowering plants and grasses: flowering plants due to its size and numerous branches and
leaves are capable of eliminating the grasses by depriving the grasses of nutrients, space and
sunlight. The grasses may eventually be eliminated

Predation
Predation is a type of association between two
organisms in which the predator kills the other,
called the prey and directly feeds on it. The predator which is usually larger in size and always
stronger than the prey benefits by deriving its food while the prey is completely eliminated.
Examples of Predation
The hawk and chicks of domestic fowls
the leopard and antelope
the lion and gazelle

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